


The Work of Her that went

by middlemarch



Series: Plum dimension [9]
Category: Mercy Street (TV)
Genre: Cat, F/M, Holidays, Romance, string of popcorn
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-12-05
Updated: 2016-12-05
Packaged: 2018-09-06 16:50:35
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 722
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8761138
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/middlemarch/pseuds/middlemarch
Summary: Plum had been a merry companion while Mary trimmed the tree.





	

“Just look what that, that _creature_ of yours has done! Phinney!”

One would think Anne had been solely responsible for the Christmas tree and the other decorations that had been amassed in the blue parlor, the room they were using for the men’s recreation time, based on the vigor of her exclamation. One would be dreadfully mistaken, Mary thought, but then, one often was, according to Anne Hastings. 

It seemed Plum had decided the string of popcorn that Mary had managed, with some ingenuity, to assemble and use to garland the just-this-side of scrawny pine tree, was her rightful prey, in lieu of a captivating mouse and had stalked and attacked with a degree of derring-do that Mary would have applauded, had it not resulted in the near-total collapse of the tree, its few precious baubles, even the star clever little Isaac had whittled for the top. Mary could only thank her stars that none of the ornaments had been made of blown glass or delicately painted china, as they would have been at home, for there were no shards to sweep, only hours of work at the end of another long day. And evidently, Anne’s contribution was meant to be a running, scathing commentary. If only Plum had adjusted her target with her champion’s un-Christian ire at heart; then, Anne would be squawking but running into the hall, cradling her scratched hand and howling for any and all to hear.

“I thank you for bringing this to my attention, Nurse Hastings. I think Dr. McBurney was just asking for you…he had an idea about a way to deal with purgatives that he said you might wish to assess, given your experience in the Crimea,” Mary said. She could be excused the embellishment, she thought, as McBurney had mentioned in passing that Anne might be best suited to gauge the size of emesis basins needed should they try to de-worm the latest battalion to save on the cost of sorghum and flour. She hadn’t imagined she’d be sending Anne scurrying with such an impetus, but she was a practical woman and needed to work with what she had.

“Oh, Plum! I wish you hadn’t-” she said under her breath but loudly enough to be heard.

“Hadn’t what?” Here was Jed, naturally, as stealthy as a spy when that was the last thing they needed, overrun with Pinkerton and his men as the sacred holiday approached and she had only a small tree, some embroidered linen scraps and a scanty string of popcorn to fend off loneliness and despair for the men and boys.

“Hadn’t, well, I suppose, hadn’t been herself, such a cunning, impetuous puss,” Mary sighed. The cat in question had trotted lightly to the pool of warmth from the grate and was a small calico curl of contentment at the moment.

“What else could she be? Here now, don’t trouble yourself so. Sit down and let me manage this,” Jed said, gesturing to Mary to the worn, silk settee with such sweet authority she could only agree.

“Many hands make light work, don’t you find? You have only to tell me how you like things and I’ll take care to arrange them for you,” he said. It seemed everything they said to each other these days had doubled, trebled meaning and she kept glancing at him to see what he meant. He’d spoken obliquely of marital dissolution and she hadn’t felt she could ask but she’d been happy, willing to trust that whatever he offered was in good faith and kindly, oh-so kindly! meant.

“Thank you. Shall we hope Plum has lost her interest in the garland and hang it again, do you think?” she asked.

“I think it’s a safe gamble. This room is filled with far greater enticements,” he replied and smiled at her, so direct it was as if she heard the words at her ear, amid the tickle of his beard on her cheek, his hand at her waist instead of on the tree’s boughs.

“Then, as you will, Jedediah. I should like to see how you arrange it,” she said and sat back, letting him see what he would, hear what he would. Plum purred in her corner and Mary blessed the cat for being who she was and allowing them the same gift.

**Author's Note:**

> This was for, you guessed it, "string of popcorn." I decided to make some major stuff happen off-screen (aka Jed's divorce) so that the holiday would be untarnished by the hint of adultery. Plum is my (fanon) stray cat Mary has adopted who appears in many other stories I've written...
> 
> The title is from that workhorse, Emily Dickinson.


End file.
